Herring Beet Salad (Shuba)

This Herring Beet Salad is a very popular layered fish salad among the Slavic culture aka Shuba. It is usually well-known by its beautiful purple colored beets (after adding mayo, the beets turn purple).

This tasty salad is made with herring fish fillets which are already marinated in salty oil (no more salt needed or any other seasonings) and layered with tender, nutritious veggies. This Russian beet salad with herring recipe is super easy to follow as you are pretty much just layering a few ingredients.

I’m familiar with the different variations of this salad as some people add eggs and whatnot, but I love the classic version, which usually consists of 5 essential ingredients (beets, carrots, potatoes, onion & fish). I liked the loaf pan idea which I got from Tatyana’s everyday food and since have been making Shuba using a loaf pan.

Well here is my family’s classic Shuba version using Tanya’s loaf pan idea! I hope you may enjoy this beautiful and tasty salad! Let me know if you have any creative ideas of how to layer this salad.

Ingredients for herring beet salad:

Two carrots

Two potatoes

Two beets

1/2 onion finely diced

6 oz herring fish fillets in oil

10 tbsp of mayo

How to make herring beet salad:

Bring a medium-size pot halfway full of water to a boil; add the carrots, beets, and potatoes and boil about for 15 minutes; then remove carrots and continue to boil the potatoes and beets unit tender. My carrots were tender the first 15 min of boiling, I just removed the carrots and continued simmering the rest since they are larger.

Next, separately grate the cooled carrots, potatoes, and beets; set aside. Then, dice 1/2 of an onion and two small fish fillets; set aside.

(A closer look at the herring fish in case you are not familiar with the fish.)

Cut a large piece of plastic food wrap and completely cover a 9″ by 5″ loaf pan.

After that, spread 4 tbsp of mayo on the very bottom (remember we are inverting the salad so what goes on the bottom will be the top). Then, add the shredded beets, another 4 tbsp of mayo, shredded carrots, shredded potatoes, 2 tbsp of mayo, diced onion and fish. Pat tightly down making sure to get all sides covered.

Chill the layered salad in the loaf for at least a few hours before inverting. Serve cold.

Ingredients

Instructions

Boil first three ingredients in a large pot over medium heat for 30 minutes (remove carrots first 15 min as they get tender faster).

Slightly cool. Peel of skins with a sharp knife and grate all separately. Set aside.

Finely dice onion and fish separately and set aside.

Cut a large piece of ceramic wrap and cover a 9" by 5" loaf pan.

Evenly spread 4 tbsp of mayo on the bottom of the loaf pan and arrange salad by the following ingredients; (mayo that you have spread) beets, 4 tbsp mayo, carrots, potatoes, 2 tbsp mayo, onion, and fish, evenly patting all ingredients down tightly after each addition.

You should have ended with fish reaching the top of the loaf pan.

Place in the fridge at least a few hours before inverting to a serving dish.

6 comments

absolute favorite salad of my childhood. this is yummy!!! thank you for the recipe. i usually make it with smoked fish but i’m exited to try it your way. your photos are amaizing!!! and you are a beautiful woman and precious. may God bless you!!!

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I'm Alyona the maker of the recipes behind Alyona's Cooking. Here you'll find a variety of recipes from many cuisines, Restaurant Copycat recipes, to some shared recipes (from others), along with many tips. Read more about me...